NEW DELHI: Indian security agencies have ramped up human and technical intelligence further after the Kabul airport bombings which are believed to have been carried out by ISIS-K. According to sources, Thursday’s blasts have further strengthened fears that Afghanistan is becoming a safe haven for anti-India terror groups. “We have employed resources to track movements of terror groups, which may find new life after Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. We are keeping a close eye on all movement,” said a source.
India is monitoring the movements of Anas and Khalil al-Rehman Haqqani, who is a designated terrorist and a vital part of the Haqqani network. He has been appointed chief of the country’s security. The Haqqani network is of particular interest to Indian security agencies, as it is believed to be an extension of ISI and which played a vital role in the resurgence of Taliban. They have close ties with Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad.
A report tabled by US Treasury department squarely blamed the terror attack on Sikhs in Kabul in 2020 on the Pakistan-based Haqqani network. The same report also expressed apprehensions of the network allying with al-Qaida to form a new joint unit.
India’s fears have reflected apprehensions of other countries and agencies. In June, a UN report noted that “the Haqqani Network remains the Taliban’s most combat-ready forces” adding that it “has a skilled core of members”.